Hate The Fags…Just Don’t Kill Them? WTF

They said it would make my life better. They said I would find my “purpose.” It was my 8th grade school year. My pastor said I should read this book that would change my life. The name of the book was A Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren. It’s always interesting to reflect back to my pre-teen life and think about the different things I was involved in. Some of my childhood experiences were amazing and shaped who I am today, other experiences—like buying Rick Warren’s book—are just embarrassing. I was reading a book by one of the most divisive and homophobic/anti-gaymen in America, at 13.

The author of the very same book, seven years later is now in the limelight being accused of supporting the Uganda Anti-Homosexual Legislation Bill. Proposed on the 13th of October 2009 by Member of ParliamentDavid Bahati, the Bill would criminalize key aspects of comprehensive HIV/AIDS prevention education and imprison health-care workers who refuse to report sexually active gay patients to the police. If enacted, it would also broaden the criminalization of homosexuality in Uganda, including introducing the death penalty for HIV positive people who have previous convictions, instituting extradition for those engaging in same-sex sexual relations outside Uganda, and penalizing individuals, companies, or media organizations who support LGBT rights.

Right when you think your out of oppression, there always seems to be something that tends to pull you right back into it. This is nothing less than a gay-genocide and I wish our government (democrats and especially republicans) would stop being so inactive when it comes to fighting for LGBT rights within our country and around the world. Personally, I’m still waiting on “Don’t ask, Don’t tell” to be overturned. I mean really, is this American or not, but I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that the home of the “some are free, and maybe brave” continues to marginalize and stay silent with the oppression of others. I do have to give some credit to the Obama administration; they put out this statement last month (2 months after the bill was introduced):

“We urge to ensure that sexual orientation or gender identity may under no circumstances be the basis for criminal penalties– in particular, execution, arrest or detention. If adopted a bill further criminalizing homosexuality would constitute a significant step backwards for the protection of human rights in Uganda.”

One of the major supporters of this bill in Uganda is minister Martin Ssempa, who has been to Rick Warren’s Church several times. Rick Warren tried to ignore the issue for a couple months until he recently put out a video and went on record condemning the Ugandans for their gay-genocide bill. Conservative pastors all across the country have gotten themselves into some trouble on this one. Even when Rick Warren desperately tried to clear his name by sending a video to Ugandan pastors criticizing the bill, he still feels the need to emphasize his belief that marriage should only be between one man and one woman. Teachings like this are exactly what fuel what David Bahati calls the 95% disapproval rate of homosexuality in Uganda.

More pastors around the country are almost forced to condemn the Ugandans legislation. But every time I read a story like this, I feel the pastor basically saying that “we have taught you to hate these gay people, but lets not go and kill them, lets just try to change them.” All in all I think conservative pastors have been at the backbone of religion in Uganda for quite sometime, and consciously or not, they have some ownership over the anti-homosexuality bill.

On the other side it is of course a bill directly proposed by a Ugandan politician.

Follow Us

Sign up for email updates

Why take the pledge?

Far too many Black youth continue to be demonized, criminalized and murdered.

Enough is enough!

In response to this intensifying crisis, the Black Youth Project (BYP) has launched “The Pledge.”

With “The Pledge,” we are asking individuals and organizations to close ranks around black youth and make a commitment to take action and fight with black youth as they confront a relentless crisis. We at the BYP believe that each person can make a difference by doing something!

By taking The Pledge we not only articulate our concern about black youth, but symbolically unite our voices with others who will work to confront this crisis.

If we each take action, whether it is starting a group, signing a petition, or mentoring a young person in your neighborhood, then we all become a part of the solution.